Ruben Santana
Ruben Santana, 65, was a man from St. Thomas who was held in Virgin Islands custody before being transferred to Saguaro Correctional Center in Arizona in March 2016. A lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court by Loida Haysbert, personal representative of his estate, says he repeatedly asked for medical care for a foot wound and for HIV treatment over several years, and that his leg was amputated below the knee in 2013. The lawsuit describes him as grieving the loss of his lower leg and fearing re-infection, and says that in October 2016 he wrote to his attorney that he was not being taken care of. The estate says he was not given the correct HIV regimen on time, which left him vulnerable to infection and affected his kidneys and bodily functions before he died on December 18, 2016.
Cause of death, as reported: Died from neglect by staff (disputed). His estate's lawsuit says staff failed to provide his correct HIV regimen on time and denied him medical care for his foot wound, which left him vulnerable to infections that contributed to his death.
Reported by: Loida Haysbert, personal representative of his estate, through a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His estate sued in U.S. District Court over his care at Saguaro Correctional Center, alleging denied medical treatment for a foot wound and HIV before his death, and no settlement or award amount has been reported.